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I am planning to travel to Japan in January. I would very much like to pay my respects to O' sensei Morihei Ueshiba by visiting where his ashes were placed. I have been told that his ashes were distributed between the Ueshiba family temple in Tanabe, the Aiki Shrine in Iwama, the Ueshiba family cemetery in Ayabe, and at the Kumano Grand Shrine.

Unfortunatley, I cannot find their actual locations or proper directions to them. Also I do not know the proper protocol / behavior one must adhere to when visiting theses sites. Can you please help me, or tell me whom I can contact for that information?

To those interested I was able to find a website of a guy named Tim Sheldon. ( http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/M...wamavisit.html ) Apparently, he visited the the Aiki Shrine back in 1998. He included a copy of his itinerary and expenses. Which I have posted below.

So now all I need is the directions to the Ueshiba family temple, the familly cemetary and to the Kumano Grand Shrine. Any help would be appreciated.

Sincerely,

Bradley Desjardins

Trip to Iwama itinerary.

Richmond to NY/JFK to Tokyo/Narita

Wednesday, May 13

Leave Richmond 9:55 a.m. United Flight 4668

Arrive NY JFK 11:15 a.m.

Leave NY 12:15 p.m. non-stop on United Flight 801

Thursday, May 14

Arrive Tokyo/Narita 3:00 p.m. Thursday, May 14

Train from Narita to Iwama, Ibaraki Prefecture

From the airport, you take a shuttle train to Narita Station. From there, you take the Narita Line to Abiko. At Abiko you transfer to the Joban Line and ride it north for about an hour to Iwama. Note that the Joban Line has white cars with a blue stripe.

Not everyone has heard of Iwama. The big city north of Iwama is Mito, so it's better to ask for the train to Mito (if for any reason you have to ask).

43 minutes on Narita Line from Narita to Abiko.

63 minutes on Joban Line from Abiko to Iwama.

Fare is 1620 yen, or about $15.

Tokyo/Narita to Chicago/O'Hare to Richmond

Friday, May 29

Leave Tokyo/Narita 12 noon, on United Flight 884

Arrive Chicago/O'Hare 9:29 a.m.

Leave Chicago/O'Hare 1:45 p.m. on United Flight 1838

Arrive Richmond 4:37 p.m.

------------------------

Expenses

Monthly fee for Uchideshi Y75,000 $564.00

Daily Training Fee Y 2,500 $ 18.80

Registration Fee, New Students Y 3,000 $ 22.56

The first five days were Y 4,000 $ 30.00

after that, daily fee was Y 2,500 $ 18.80

May 15 through 29 is 15 days

Actual payment will be:

Registration Y3,000 $ 22.56

First five days Y20,000 $150.38

Next 10 days Y25,000 $187.97

Sub Total Y48,000 $360.90

Also:

Uchideshi food money Y 3,990 $ 30.00

Train to Iwama Y 1,620 $ 12.18

Train to Narita Y 1,620 $ 12.18

Sub Total Y 7,230 $ 54.40

Departure Tax Y 2,000 $ 15.03

Total Y57,230 $430.29

In currency, I carried Y127,000 equaling $1,000 also $500 in traveler's checks and $200 in U.S. currency.

TOTAL $1,700.00

I converted my dollars to yen in at a bank in Richmond, Va., and arrived in Japan with $1,000 in yen. Upon arriving at the dojo, I paid my fee up front.